The traveling pelvic bullet: a case of retrograde ballistic migration through the venous system

Justin S. Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE; Shariq S. Raza, MD; Niels D. Martin, MD; Jeremy W. Cannon, MD, MS; Grace J. Wang, MD, MSCE; Julia D. Glaser, MD

Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques (Dec 2022)

The traveling pelvic bullet: a case of retrograde ballistic migration through the venous system

Justin S. Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE,
Shariq S. Raza, MD,
Niels D. Martin, MD,
Jeremy W. Cannon, MD, MS,
Grace J. Wang, MD, MSCE,
Julia D. Glaser, MD

Affiliations

Justin S. Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE: Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Correspondence: Justin S. Hatchimonji, MD, MBE, MSCE, Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St, 4 Maloney, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Shariq S. Raza, MD: Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Niels D. Martin, MD: Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Jeremy W. Cannon, MD, MS: Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care, and Emergency Surgery, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Grace J. Wang, MD, MSCE: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Julia D. Glaser, MD: Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 4
pp. 587 – 591

Abstract

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Migration of a ballistic missile through the vasculature is rare but important to recognize. It can lead to diagnostic confusion and seemingly unexplainable bullet trajectories. We have described the case of a young man with a gunshot wound to the axillary vein and initial embolus to the inferior vena cava. The bullet subsequently migrated to the right common iliac vein, allowing for straightforward retrieval.

Published in Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques

ISSN: 2468-4287 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Surgery; Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-vascular-surgery-cases-innovations-and-techniques

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